Communication in intensive care units and cardiac wards – A literature review and personal experiences

Abstract

Background: Physicians are regularly confronted with a wide range of settings requiring good communication skills. Deficient communication is the main reason for patient complaints.
Methods: A literature review and personal experiences of communication techniques used by physicians in intensive care units and cardiac wards.
Results: Good communication can increase medical adherence and motivate patients to life-style changes and therefore improve outcomes, resolve or prevent conflicts, increase patients’ satisfaction with offered health care, decrease anxiety and depressive symptoms, instill hope and also make hospital staff feel better.
Conclusions: In this article, different models aiming at achieving optimal results in diverse communication situations are described. Healthcare leaders and medical educators should encourage physicians to use the communication techniques presented in this review to optimize the interaction with patients, relatives and colleagues.